From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 Received: from orthanc.ca ([208.79.93.154]) by ewsd; Thu Mar 15 21:32:35 EDT 2018 Received: from localhost (l6 [IPv6:0:0:0:0:0:0:0:1]) by orthanc.ca (8.15.2/8.15.2) with ESMTPS id w2G1WX0p061356 (version=TLSv1.2 cipher=DHE-RSA-AES256-GCM-SHA384 bits=256 verify=NO) for <9front@9front.org>; Thu, 15 Mar 2018 18:32:33 -0700 (PDT) (envelope-from lyndon@orthanc.ca) Date: Thu, 15 Mar 2018 18:32:33 -0700 (PDT) From: Lyndon Nerenberg To: 9front@9front.org Subject: Re: [9front] Argument lists in Plan 9 man pages In-Reply-To: <5727ED416549AF09B9CA5BAFD544869E@5ess.inri.net> Message-ID: References: <5727ED416549AF09B9CA5BAFD544869E@5ess.inri.net> User-Agent: Alpine 2.21 (BSF 202 2017-01-01) Organization: The Frobozz Magic Homing Pigeon Company MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed X-Spam-Status: No, score=-2.9 required=5.0 tests=ALL_TRUSTED,BAYES_00, NO_RECEIVED autolearn=ham autolearn_force=no version=3.4.1 X-Spam-Checker-Version: SpamAssassin 3.4.1 (2015-04-28) on orthanc.ca List-ID: <9front.9front.org> List-Help: X-Glyph: ➈ X-Bullshit: API SSL over SOAP framework-aware callback reduce/map element solution > I want both English and legibility. I don't think tabulating flag options > violates any of this. Clarity shouldn't replace depth. And describing flags using out-dented paragraphs doesn't stop anyone from writing prose within those paragraphs. What frustrates me to no end with the traditional Plan9 manpage layout is that you cannot find where the flag description starts, when they are all buried inside inline text. The typeset manpages have differential font helpers, but when you're running man in a terminal window, flags get buried on the background noise. Manpages are supposed to be 'reference' pages. That means visibly calling out the flags and their usage. Otherwise, they (the man pages) aren't doing their job. --lyndon